Pierce on the justification of abduction
Date: May 12, 2020
Author(s): Francesco Bellucci, Ahti Veikko Pietarinen
This paper explores the justification of abduction, a reasoning process, through Charles Sanders Peirce’s theory. The research explores ur-abduction, the hypothesis that humans have an inherent power to make valid inferences about reality. Using historical scientific examples, abduction is justified as a valid form of reasoning through the process of inductive verification.
Who is the research about?
The study focuses on the philosophy of Peirce and his contributions to epistemology, logic, and scientific methodology. Primarily concerned with the concept of abduction and its application in scientific and everyday reasoning.
Methodology
The research study used a philosophical and textual analysis of Peirce’s writing, examining his manuscripts, letters, and other works. The research focused:
- Reconstructing Peirce’s theory of abduction
- Analyzing Peirce’s arguments for justification of abduction
- Reviewing abduction’s relationship with inductive reasoning
Key findings
The review of Peirce’s work and understanding of abduction found:
- The justification of abduction is based on an inherent instinctive ability.
- The history of science serves as a key element in understanding and verifying abduction.
- The justification of abduction is circular and grounded in the scientific process of inquiry.
Why does it matter?
The review is essential because it provides a philosophical defense of abduction reasoning as a fundamental method of inquiry offering valuable insights into:
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The scientific method and role of hypothesis formation in scientific discovery.
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Emphasis that abduction is not just an intuitive or speculative process, but is grounded in real-world empirical validation.
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The usefulness in cases where deductive reasoning or direct observation is not possible.
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